Newly-appointed ministers from CPN (Maoist Center), CPN-UML, CPN (Unified Socialist), and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) took the oath of office and secrecy at the Office of the President on Wednesday.
The newly formed Cabinet, comprising 20 ministers, saw the appointment of three Deputy Prime Ministers, representing Maoist Center, UML, and RSP respectively.
Among the ministers, five from Maoist Center, eight from UML, four from Rastriya Swatantra Party, and two from Unified Socialist.
Narayan Kaji Shrestha was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, from Maoist Center, accompanied by Barsha Man Pun as Finance Minister, Shakti Bahadur Basnet as Energy Minister, Rekha Sharma as Information and Communication Minister, and Hit Bahadur Tamang as Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister.
Meanwhile, UML leaders Raghu Bir Mahaseth and Padam Giri have been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Physical Infrastructure Minister, and Law Minister respectively. The UML contingent also includes Jwala Kumari Shah as Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister, Damodar Bhandari as Industry Minister, Commerce as Supply Minister, Rajendra Rai as Water Supply Minister, Hari Upreti as Defence Minister, Bhagawati Chaudhary Women, Children and Senior Citizens Minister, and Bal Ram Adhikari as Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Minister.
RSP leaders Rabi Lamichhane, DP Aryal, Sumana Shrestha, and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha are included in the cabinet with Lamichhane as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, DP Aryal as Labour, Employment and Social Security Minister, Sumana Shrestha as the Education, Science and Technology Minister and Biraj Bhakta Shrestha as Youth and Sports Minister.
Unified Socialist has appointed Dhan Bahadur Budha as Urban Development Minister and Bhanu Bhakta Jaisi as Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister.
Meanwhile, the JSP, led by Upendra Yadav, has abstained from participating in the government, citing the need for continuity in the leadership of the Madhesh Province government. Despite failing to reach a consensus within the party’s executive committee, Yadav has formally signed the eight-point agreement crafted by the four participating parties.
